Before I spent a full week exploring Naples, I had already briefly visited the iconic Italian city – once on the way to Pompeii and once on the way to Herculaneum (see below for both.). I knew from those glimpses that I wanted to come back, not only to explore the city more thoroughly but also to see more of the surrounding area. Seven days turned out to be perfect to accomplish that. Below, you’ll find out what I discovered about the best things to do in and around Naples.
Underground Naples
I was skeptical about Underground Naples (Napoli Sotterreanea) since it sounded like a tourist trap that couldn’t possibly be worth it. How wrong I was. We received a fascinating group tour through the ancient, subterranean maze of waterways that the Greeks first built and that the Romans expanded. The aqueduct still supplies some water to the city.
You should book tickets in advance, especially during high tourist season. Because you will be climbing up and down stairs, wear comfortable shoes with good treads. To get to some areas, you will have to sidle through a narrow passage. If you have mobility issues, then this attraction should be skipped.
National Archaeological Museum of Naples
Given the rich ancient history of Naples, a visit to the National Archaeological Museum of Naples should be included on your itinerary. Although the museum is best known for its Roman antiquities, it also houses artifacts from Pompeii, Herculaneum, Egypt, and other ancient cultures.
Food Tours
As a self-described foodie, I’ve taken to including at least one food tour in my destination city. Because I wanted to sample a range of Neapolitan dishes, I booked three food tours, two of which explored Naples and the third, Sorrento. (For Sorrento, see below for the section on day trips.) As with all food tours, expect to substitute them for a meal. You’ll get plenty to eat and drink.
The first tour met at Piazza Dante. Since we were the only two people taking the tour, we had a wonderfully personalized experience.
The second street food tour, a couple of days later, started nearby (but on another day!) at the Piazza Bellini and turned out to be more of a group experience.
Sansevero Chapel and Museum
The Sansevero Chapel and Museum houses a collection of marble sculptures from the 1700’s. Among the masterpieces, you’ll see the amazingly detailed Veiled Christ, Il Disinganno, and Pudicizia. The optional audio guide offers an easy-to-follow analysis and history of the pieces before you, and it lasts about 25 minutes. Because photographs are not permitted, you will have to trust me that this was worth the stop.
You’ll need to purchase a ticket for a specific entry time. During peak season, I recommend buying tickets online and in advance.
Galleria Borbonica
My husband feared that the underground tour of the Galleria Borbonica would be too much like Underground Naples. While you do indeed descend into part of the ancient aqueduct, this portion was widened and fortified for King Ferdinand II as a quick, underground exit from castle to port. Although Ferdinand II’s passage was never finished, much of the populace hid in these tunnels during the bombardments of World War II. The military used the tunnels to protect men and equipment. You can see displays of some of the vehicles left behind.
The Galleria Bourbonica has two entrances, and you must choose between them when you book your tickets.
Castel Sant’Elmo
We took the funicular up and then walked further to reach the medieval fort of Castel Sant’Elmo, on Vomero Hill. Because the fort overlooks the city, the views are spectacular. Tickets are inexpensive and can be bought at the counter when you arrive.
Chiesa del Gesù Nuovo
The exterior of the impressive Chiesa del Gesù looks more like a fortress than a church. Don’t let the façade fool you. Inside you’ll find one of the most ornate and beautiful churches in Naples. Free admission.
Naple’s Most Famous Food: Pizza
Pizza goes with Naples as no other food does. The classic Marguerita pizza of tomatoes, buffalo mozzarella, and basil –– the colors of the Italian flag –– can taste slightly different from establishment to establishment, so knock yourself out trying as many as you can. If you want to try something uniquely Neapolitan, buy a portofolio, a pizza folded like a wallet and meant to be eaten as you walk, or a pizza fritta, a folded and fried pizza similar to a calzone.
Pizza di Napoli is a distinct kind of pizza, usually with a puffy edge and thin middle. The bottom is charred in spots, and the sauce can range from semi-thick to soupy. While everyone has their favorite places, the following are mine, in order:
- Pizzeria Enrico Porzio (a little out of the way but worth it)
- Pizzeria Vincenzo Capuano (where you cut your pizza with a pair of scissors)
- L’Antica Pizzeria Da Michele (of Eat, Pray, Love fame)
- Ristorante L’Oro di Napoli (a sit-down restaurant where you can also order a portofolio at a window)
Out of the above, L’Antica Pizzeria De Michele has the most soupy sauce. Because of the pizzeria’s fame, a long line begins almost as soon as it opens, with a to-go window across the street. Because they serve only three kinds of pizza which take mere minutes to cook, the production line ensures that you get your order within five minutes of ordering and that the line moves quickly.
People argue about how to properly eat a pizza in Naples. I had been told that you always use a fork and knife, but one of our food tour guides insisted that you could eat it with your hands, as she always has. For the more soupy pizzas, that could spell disaster. Just know that however you choose to eat your pizza, no one will judge.
Duomo di Napoli
The official name of what is commonly known as the Duomo di Napoli or, simply, the Duomo, is the Cattedrale di Santa Maria Assunta. According to locals, the blood of San Gennaro, the patron saint of Naples, liquifies three times a year during a special ceremony. Free admission to the church.
Palazzo Reale di Napoli
The Royal Palace of Naples boasts an opulent grand staircase that leads to the apartments, open to visitors. Period artwork, furniture, and decoration have been gorgeously restored. You feel as though you’re in a different era as you tour the rooms.
Opera at Teatro di San Carlo
Nothing is more Italian than the opera. We bought tickets to La Traviata in the Teatro di San Carlo. If you get tickets in a box, as we did, make sure you purchase seats in the front. The boxes have chairs, not traditional theater seats, and other people will have bought tickets for your box. If your assigned chair is in the back, you may have trouble seeing over the people in the front.
I loved that the performance used superscripts in English so that I could understand what was going on. Besides the performance, which I enjoyed despite not being a huge opera fan, you get to see the interior of a traditionally decorated Italian theater.
Basilica of San Francesco
Across the Piazza del Plebiscito from the Royal Palace, you will find the Basilica of San Francesco. Its curved façade, with columns, looks imposing. Inside, you’ll find a dramatic dome above a spacious, marbeled space.
Wander the Narrow Streets
They say you’ve never been to Naples if you haven’t gotten lost in its streets. Today’s phone navigation apps take away some of that mystique, but wandering the narrow streets is still one of the best things to do in Naples. Yes, the old part of the city will be flooded with tourists; however, you still get a lot of the flavor of the city.
Galleria Umberto I
The majestic Galleria Umberto I is a towering but small shopping mall, with a Zara and a McDonald’s sharing space with a more traditional café. You don’t go here for the shopping but rather to take in the architecture. You’ll need just a few minutes to walk through, end to end. Most of the shops in the area are outside the Galleria.
We stayed in the Hotel Matilde, located above the Galleria, and our room overlooked the interior. Even though our window was actually an interior one, it had a fantastic view.
Day Trips From Naples
Pompeii
You shouldn’t go to Naples without also going to Pompeii. Nothing had prepared me for how it felt standing in an intact ancient city whose inhabitants had died in a flash. Photos and video do not do it justice. I strongly recommend hiring a guide or booking a small group tour since otherwise you won’t necessarily know what you’re seeing. Even then, you’ll only be able to see a fraction of the site.
Sorrento
You can easily reach Sorrento from Naples via ferry. This small, bustling city has many boutiques and restaurants, perfect for those who like to shop or just explore. Look for the lemon groves with their famously enormous fruit.
For our day in Sorrento, we incorporated a food tour into our plans. Even though we had booked two foodie tours in Naples, we wanted to sample Sorrento’s fare. There, I ate the best eggplant parmigiana I’ve ever had. Our guides, two British expats who had married Italian men, gave us a wonderful and understandable tour through local restaurants that tourists were unlikely to find on their own. Out of our three food tours, we had by far the most food on this one.
Capri
We arrived on Capri via ferry from Naples on a blistering hot day. That made it difficult to explore the steep streets. I’m glad we first booked a boat tour that rounded the island and pointed out the important formations. If you want to go into the Blue Grotto, you should go first thing in the morning since the wait to do so may be an hour or longer. Some boats will drop you off and come back later to retrieve you. Since I didn’t choose the Blue Grotto option, I can’t say exactly how it works. Those staying on the island have an advantage since the wait is notoriously long.
Herculaneum
Herculaneum, a wealthy city destroyed by the same volcanic eruption that wiped out Pompeii, is a smaller (but not trivial) archeological site mostly because much of the city remains buried under more modern buildings. Unlike in Pompeii, the volcanic ash and pumice covered the city after the residents had already perished, leaving little evidence of the people except for skeletal remains in the boat sheds.
I recommend a guide tour at this site, too, because you will learn much about this lesser-known casualty of Mount Vesuvius.
The Verdict
You can easily find enough to do Naples without leaving the city. Despite that, day trips add another dimension to a trip, with the advantage that they will get you away from the urban landscape. If you do only one day trip, make it Pompeii. After all, whether you are in Naples or one of the other towns, Mount Vesuvius, the volcano that destroyed Pompeii and Herculaneum, looms over everything. History comes alive when you can easily visualize what it must have been like.
Neapolitan food tends toward the casual, with comfort food especially available. That’s not to say that Naples is all pizza and pasta. We ate at two memorable fine dining establishments, both with mentions in the Michelin Guide: Veritas and Michelasso. I highly recommend both.
If you plan to include Rome on your trip to Italy, check out my blog on that city.
